Photo by Sara Spigener
Helix, a store on College Avenue in downtown Athens offers products made from recyclable materials.
By Sara Spigener
Green businesses in Athens offer environmentally friendly alternatives, and University of Georgia students and faculty want to see more of them.
Helix, an eclectic gift store downtown on Clayton Street, features a wide array of products from jewelry to baby clothes made out of recycled materials, and the store’s employees make a point to recycle.
“We recycle everything: cans, bottles, aluminum, paper, cardboard.” said Steven Owen, an employee at the store.
An interesting thing about Helix is that a lot of the recyclable materials they accumulate on a day-to-day basis go to artists who turn them into something to sell, like a local potter who picks up their cardboard and packing materials to create his wares.
Their commitment to recycling is evident in their sales as one of their hottest items is the handmade cloth shopping bag that shoppers can reuse at the grocery store.
Going beyond basic recycling, Rialto Property Partners will open Hotel Indigo downtown on College Avenue. Hotel Indigo is considered a “green hotel” because it is certified by the Leadership in Environmental Design Green Building Rating System, said Amy Hibler, the marketing director for Rialto.
The new environmentally friendly hotel will feature a green roof, a rainwater collection system for irrigation, and elevators that regenerate power. They will also offer priority parking for hybrid cars, Hibler said.
When construction started on the hotel, Rialto decided to donate the money that would traditionally be used for a groundbreaking ceremony. The money will serve the Athens community with part of it going to the Athens Land Trust, she said.
University of Georgia student from Jamaica, Trudy Trail, supports environmentally friendly businesses. “It’s a good thing businesses are trying to be green,” she said. “I think more businesses should try to do it.”
Cathy Elrod, an employee at the University of Georgia Center for Teaching and Learning shares a similar opinion.
“I think environmentally friendly businesses are good.” she said. “We have to take care of mother earth, so she will take care of us.”
-Edited by Bailey Keiger
Photo by Sara Spigener
Construction is underway on Hotel Indigo at 500 College Ave. The hotel will offer a green alternative to the typical hotel.
There are a couple of good examples here of how some local businesses are jumping on the environmental bandwagon. Good job getting details from each place about what they're specifically doing to be environmentally friendly.
ReplyDeleteA couple of transitions could be tightened. You don't need to introduce a new fact by saying "An interesting thing about..." The fact that it's in your story indicates that you think it's interesting. Just go ahead and share your information.
Also, see my comments about punctuating essential and nonessential phrases and clauses in this story.